Journaling for Healing: The First Brave Step for Non-Writers
What if writing, whether anyone reads it or not, gave you an unexpected portal to healing?
That’s what my authors say after they join our book projects. My challenge to them: “Write a real, vulnerable story about who you are and how you got to doing what you do today. Not a testimonial. A real story about your life.”
Narrative therapy is a psychology term you can Google. You’ll see the research on the therapeutic effects of writing your stories. I’m excited about that research.
I took things a few steps further for the healer experts who come into our world and want to share their brave words with the world in a bigger way. It’s called Brave Story Medicine™.
Writing is one of the five steps of the method. Please check out my blog series on the five steps of Brave Story Medicine™, starting with Step 1.
What If You Say, “I’m Not a Writer”?
It’s my non-writers I’m thinking about today. You know who you are. You say, “I’m not a writer,” when anyone asks you about it.
What if just the movement of your thoughts, from your heart to your pen to the paper, was a powerful act that helped shift your energy and move old wounds to the surface for healing?
Welcome to Brave Story Medicine™. But it’s more than writing. It’s writing, speaking, and sharing. Don’t let that scare you away, though.
“When a moment of healing happens, and you think, I thought I dealt with that already,” said Patty.
“Yeah,” laughed Mary, “It’s like, I’ve been doing this healing work for a while and, really, Universe? There’s more to do on this one?”
I had to laugh, too. Many of us resonated. I love looking up at my Zoom to see smiles, nods, and all kinds of comments happening in the chat.
Why Journaling Is Always the First Step
Writing your stories is a portal to healing. But in the beginning, a non-writer can’t have the added pressure of thinking what if my family reads this and disowns me? Journaling is always the first step.
I journaled for 25 years before I wrote anything I purposefully wanted others to read. The little scribbles in my tiny blue and white polka-dotted diary with that little silver lock and key were just for me. I hid that journal in a safe spot in my bedroom, and when it was full, started writing in a bigger journal, and then in notebooks.
I didn’t think of myself as a writer then, but I was a thinker, dreamer, goal-setter, and passionate about life. I didn’t feel like I had to write anything good in those journals. I just loved writing. The pages accepted my thoughts, good and bad, and were a place I could move energy.
Later in my career, when I knew I had my first book in me, I went to my journals. There was a period of six years of my life sitting in essays in my journals, waiting for me to find them. That was an exciting moment.
Even without the idea of a book, I was excited because the awareness on those pages, the woman who showed up there, was someone I wanted to share. I felt that those stories (she) was worthy.
Journaling Is an Awareness Process
Journaling is an awareness process. Writing moves thoughts onto paper and shifts energy. Journaling allows you to be an observer of your inner thoughts. It gives you a look into your own mind, body, and soul. It helps you feel. Feeling is healing.
If you combine journaling (a powerful awareness process) with key prompts that help you dive into what makes you you, get ready to experience journaling as way more than writing.
What If It’s Time to Burn the Journals?
“It may be time to burn the journals,” I said to my friend. Every time I type or speak those words, something stops me from grabbing the plastic bin that sits collecting dust (now moved to the attic, where it’s out of sight).
What if my kids want to read them after I die?
Honestly, I’d love for my kids to get to know me now. Who cares if they read something after I die? They won’t be able to ask me any questions.
A new question emerges:
What if I pull them out and share them with the kids now? Then, when we’re done, I can burn them.
This might be the solution I’ve been searching for.
Writing this blog moved it out of me. Cool.
Here’s a window into my writing life (which is mostly out loud, meaning ‘for the world to read’ now). I woke up today feeling blue. The message came: Why don’t you write a blog about something you love?
I do love writing. And I haven’t had much time to do it just for me lately. So here we are. The difference is, I’m a writer who knows sharing her story changes lives, mine and my readers’. So I usually write to you guys when I write, just in case I want to share it later.
And, these days, that’s most of the time.
It’s why there’s a “Brave” in the medicine. It’s how Brave Healer Productions was born.
Five Journaling Prompts to Start Today
I hope you do a little journaling today.
Here are five powerful prompts from the new book, Write Your Dream Life, that will help you move the energy and dive into the Divine soul you are. Enjoy!
- Make a list of the limiting beliefs or repeated self-sabotaging thoughts you notice. When they’re “out loud” (on the paper), you can use that as an awareness tool.
- If there were nobody left to offend, upset, or disappoint, I would _____.
- The old story I’ve been telling about myself is _____.
- The thing that matters to me the most right now is _____.
- I forgive _____ for _____.
In the book, I move you through using writing to heal to using writing to manifest. You’ll enjoy awareness, writing, and Feng Shui practices that change your life.
Until next time, start your Brave Story Medicine™ journey today. Grab a notebook and start writing. Use the prompts. Don’t use the prompts. Do what feels right. If you don’t like it or are afraid someone will read it, then get rid of it later. It’s the process of moving those words to paper that’s important.
Big love,
Laura
